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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Last Saturday I got home from work around 3pm and found a box sitting at my door. It had Ozone tape all over it, yaaa! Christmas in June! I grabbed the box and headed out to Makapuu where reports of wings in the air.

Well, got there no wings were in the air, I unpacked the box and laid out my the new machine. While I was trying on some of the Ozone swag I saw the wing go up in the air. Scrappy had it over his head, "Well, how is it?" in my usual soft tone. Scrappy like a little kid with his hand in the cookie jar, just smiled and said, "It's so nice". I didn't need to kite it, because this is the first wing I ever bought that I actually got to demo first.

Unfortunately, but now very fortunately, all we ever get here for demos are Ozone wings. Thanks to Chris Langan, whose name I used in vain the first time I flew a Delta 2. A few months ago Chris hand delivered a Delta 2 demo to me to try. I said sure it's free, I won't like it cause its an Ozone and I have tried all the other ones he sent over in the past and never got bit.

It was an easy launch out of Manics and an unbelievable first flight. This was a new Ozone to me, brake and handling were way different than any others that I had tried. After an hour flight, I landed and stomped over to Chris, "YOU BA$T**D!!!" Chris seeing me charging him stepped back with a concerned look as I continued my rant, " Dam it !! I got to have one of these!" Chris just smiled like a drug dealer luring in a new victim.

I was now on the fence, I ,and always will be a strong advocate of Gradient. But this year they dragged their feet a little too long getting the Aspen 5 out. Joey and I were waiting and waiting and it's still not out. Joey could not wait any longer and just took my word from the short flight I had as well as other research and pulled the trigger on a Delta 2. He had owned Ozones before. He got his and it was love at first flight.

I was still waiting, till Chris mailed over another Delta 2 demo for me to try, "Keep it for a week", I know he had grin on his face when he said that. The hook was set and he knew it, "Just gotta real Sidehill in." After a few great stable happy flights, I stepped to the Dark Side joining team Ozone.

Ok, sorry for the long intro but you all had to know that I never thought I would be going to Ozone. So on Saturday, We hiked up to launch, Gaza, JK, Divot Steve, B-Ray and Scrappy with Tandems and me with my new toy.

I was the last to get to launch and Gaza was laid out and JK was on deck with the tandems prepping
their new pilots. I approached with all of them looking out to sea. Not a rain cloud to the left or right but one massive wet one was headed our way. We got soaked, we waited, I looked at the wet carpet and then at my new wing. I hiked down. The maiden voyage will have to wait.

Sunday was Logan's Graduation party at Dorothy's Punaluu Ranch. A few monkeys were conscripted into service by order of the King to park cars etc. Duck of course went way over in his duties as usual. We were all merrily chatting listening to Larry Mac's band, Jungle Rocket, when someone looked up at the back side of the hill. A wing had just popped out of the Rhino Horn.

I tried, I really did, but finally the addiction over came me and I snuck away from the compound. I got a flight but a short one as it was a weird north day and not many were even attempting it.

Monday, JK was home and he wanted to fly. We did a few repacks in my living room and then headed to Kahana. There was a Delta 2 just sitting there and it was JK's size. Woody looked over at JK, go ahead try it. He and Langan are both the Ozone pushers now. I told JK don't do it but it was too late his eyes already had the glaze.

A few monkeys not getting the Pun Sensor advanced math reading had hiked East and had been sitting up there for hours. JK and I hiked North leaving Mad Dog on the beach, who did his math and figured he did not have time for a 4 hour flight, so it wasn't worth it (points). I am so glad he flies for fun and is not competitive. We were off in moments, but it was weird air again. The goddess of the North was being tormented by the witch of the East.

The Delta 2 duo had no problem crossing the bay and then on to Kualoa. JK was trying to convince me to go to the Pyramid and possibly continue to Makapuu. It was getting late, 5pm now, I had to force myself to just say no. Then the white caps started popping out which made our decision to head back to Kahana. Then a request from the President to do a fly by of the Punaluu Ranch could not be ignored. We continued on over, JK got really high fast and was able to make it back to Kahana. I struggled as I always seem to do but finally headed back to a great landing.

I wanted to ask JK over the radio what he thought about the Delta 2 as he has been flying a Delta 1, but
I didn't need to, I looked over my shoulder and saw his face.

Just a story to bury those 'Perfect Days' cause it might be a while before we get another one.

5 comments:

It was a little to breezy for my liking all day till the very end, I did fly for fun with 10 r/c flights at Swanzy beach park & learned a new acro stunt move. Inverted flat spin to the deck, flip in over & harrier land! I was all excited. Even JK drove by & said later that looked pretty killer. Too many toys & I try to use all of them, catamaran sailing K-Bay to sand bar today! Windy. But I love to PG when its perfect for old man like me...Aloha Mad Dog

Go Team Ozone! What a pleasure it was to fly that D2. Very responsive yet such a good glide. Likes bar. I want one! That photo was taken about as far off shore as I've been, but got back plenty high. Thx for the story, Sidehill.